| |
From the Lead Presbyter
The Leadership Team and I are thrilled to announce that the Rev. Cecelia “CeCe” Armstrong, who currently serves as the Co-Moderator of the 226th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), will join us at our August 19 Presbytery Assembly.
CeCe will preach at the Assembly, and we will have opportunities for fellowship with her during her August 18-20 visit to Great Rivers.
CeCe was elected in July 2024. She is currently serving St. James
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Charleston, South Carolina, as
Associate Pastor.
Grace and Peace,
Ann

| |
From Your Finance Team
Please submit a fully completed remittance form with any check you send to the presbytery. This ensures that we apply your payment as you intend. If sending from your bank online, you can email your remittance form to smcgrath@greatriverspby.org.
Feel free to reach out to either of us with any questions or concerns.
Thanks,
Bill Strawbridge – Treasurer Sabrina McGrath – Bookkeeper
bnc.sbridge@gmail.com smcgrath@greatriverspby.org
Per Capita
2025 Per Capita $38.29 per member based on 12/31/23 final membership numbers reported
Thank you to all churches who have contributed towards Per Capita
We’ve had 28 churches pay their 2025 per capita in full!
Thank you to Aledo Sunbeam, Athens, Bartonville, Bushnell, Carlinville, Carrollton, Carthage, Clinton, Coal Valley, Elmwood, Eureka, Greenview, Kirkwood, Knoxville, Lincoln, Mason City, Media, Milan, Morton, Mt Sterling, New Windsor, Normal New Covenant, Quincy, Reynolds, Rock Island, Springfield Korean, Virginia Sangamon Valley, Washington, and Woodhull.
PGR Churches Mission Support
PGR churches and members have given an amazing $89,195 in mission giving in just the first
5 months of 2025!
General missions: GA $10,282, Synod $3,603, PGR $35,630, OGHS $14,886, Christmas Joy $12,082, Peacemaking $1,044, Pentecost $135, Missionary Pass Thru $1500, Disaster Relief $10,033 ($8,199 designated to wildfire assistance & $313 given during the Feb 11 assembly).
Memorials for H Herbert Edwards (a member of Macomb First) directed to Peacemaking for PGR $895.
Review of the books
It is recommended that the annual “review of the books” be done internally by the church for two years, and in the third year, the church should have an outside party (preferably a CPA) do the review. Note: This is not an audit. Such reviews are important to protect the church, as well as those who handle the money and set policies.
A document for the review can be found here.
If you do not have enough people in your congregation to do the internal reviews, consider partnering with another congregation to share resources.
The presbytery has a recording of Amy Gardner's treasurer's training seminar titled Annual Financial Review. Contact Sabrina to watch the training.
We’re also working to update our contact information. PLEASE make sure we have a way to contact your church when questions arise.
We appreciate all who have already completed their forms!

| | |
Governance Task Force
The Governance Task Force presented the proposed presbytery restructuring at the April 29 assembly. Over the next several months, the task force will address the questions, concerns, and requests for additional information that were raised during our table conversations.
-
Watch this space and the Presbytery website and Facebook page for their written and recorded messages. Here’s a message from the Rev. Dr. Frosty Krummel, a member of the Governance Task Force, on the challenges of change.
-
Join this Zoom information session on Tuesday, June 17, 7:00 pm.
-
Regional meetings are being planned for June and July. In person gatherings are scheduled for Sunday, June 22, 2:00 pm, Normal, First Presbyterian Church, Thursday, July 17, 2:00 pm, Aledo, College Avenue PC, and July 27, 2025, 2:00 pm, Springfield, Third Presbyterian Church.
To read the proposal and see the organizational chart, click here. Send any questions about the restructuring to: pgrgovernancetaskforce@greatriverspby.org
| | |
Timeline
April 29, 2025: Presentation of proposed restructuring to the Assembly for first reading
May-June 2025: Governance Task Force hosts Zoom conversations, regional gatherings about plan
July 2025: Governance Task Force reviews suggestions, addresses concerns, revises plan
August 19, 2025: Second reading. Assembly votes on proposal
Sept-Oct, 2025: Nominating Committee seeks individuals to serve in the new structure
November 1, 2025: Assembly votes on slate of nominees
January 1, 2026: Presbytery begins living into the new structure
| | |
Planning Calendar, Book of Order, Book of Confessions
Planning Calendar: NEW 2025 - 2026
- Cost: $17.95
- Publish Date: 7/31/2025
- Format: Paperback
The 2025–2026 Presbyterian Planning Calendar is your indispensable companion for purposeful planning from September 2025 to December 2026. Designed for clarity and ease, each month is presented on high-quality text paper that’s perfect for jotting down notes and plans in pencil.
New Orientation: The calendar grid is now vertical instead of horizontal and will span across two pages for double the writing space for personal dates and notes.
Whether you're a pastor, church leader, or devoted planner, the Presbyterian Planning Calendar is your essential tool for staying organized, informed, and inspired throughout the year. Don’t wait. Order yours today!
| |
Book of Order NEW 2025 - 2026
- Cost: $10
- Publish Date: 6/13/2025
- Format: Paperback
This book is Part II of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This volume contains the Foundations of Presbyterian Polity, the Form of Government, the Directory for Worship, and the Church Discipline. Additional information is provided to the reader through the inclusion of Received Ecumenical Statements of Guidance and Articles of Agreement.
| |
Book of Confessions
- Cost: $10
- Publish Date: 9/01/2016
- Format: Paperback
The first part of the church's Constitution is contained in the Book of Confessions. Includes the text of twelve confessional documents, including the Confession of Belhar, which are significant and instructive to both the individual and corporate life and faith of Presbyterians.
| | |
The next Zoom check-in for pastors will be
Wednesday, June 25, 12:00 noon.
Join Here
| | |
Springfield’s Juneteenth Celebration
All are invited to Springfield’s Juneteenth Celebration on Saturday, June 14, 11:00 am at Comer Cox Park. Juneteenth, Inc., has invited the Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis (PCUSA) to speak following the parade. She is
the co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. Then at 2:00 pm, Liz and her
co-author, Noam Sandweiss-Back, will host a book discussion on their latest: "You Only Get What You are Organized to Take" at St. John's AME Church on Capitol Ave.
You can join the Poor People's Campaign by signing up at PoorPeoplesCampaign.org.
More Springfield Juneteenth activities
| | |
Presbytery Prayer List
We give thanks to God for these congregations and their faithful ministry and witness:
| | |
Expressions of Gratitude

From PC(USA) Office of Mission Engagement and Support: “Please convey our appreciation to your [Presbytery] for your gracious and faithful support.” We sent the offering from the February Presbytery Assembly ($313.11) to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.
| |
University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
Read here about new course offerings at Dubuque Theological Seminary for pastors, congregations, and members. (link to letter, attached)
| | |
Attention: Stephen Ministry Congregations
Dear colleagues,
First Presbyterian Church of Normal is discerning engagement with the Stephen Ministries organization based in St. Louis, through which congregation members are trained to provide one-on-one care for people experiencing life difficulties. If your church is affiliated with this ministry, or is considering starting the program, I'd appreciate the chance to connect with you or one of your Stephen Leaders on a few questions and ideas. Please contact me by Tuesday, June 24. Rev. Karol Schilling, Associate Pastor, kschilling@firstpresnormal.org, 309-431-2298.
| | |
Items from the Morton Church
The Morton Church would like to give the items below to anyone in need. There are several pieces of the communion trays, many hymnals, and Bibles. There are also matching paraments for the pulpit. Please contact Lori Lewis at lorilewis2000@gmail.com or 309-253-8422 to arrange pickup.
| | |
Midwest Call Finder
The Midwest Call Finder site is live! Thanks to the Synod of Lincoln Trails, all congregations in the presbytery have this new tool at their disposal when they are seeking pastors, musicians, youth directors, Christian educators, administrative assistants, custodians, and other church staff. Likewise, pastors and other church professionals can access this website to learn about available positions in our region. There is no fee to use Midwest Call Finder. Your per capita dollars have made this possible.
Check out the website here: https://midwestcallfinder.org
To submit an opening, use this link: https://midwestcallfinder.org/submit-a-position
| | |
Presbytery of Great Rivers Staff
Communications and Administrative Assistant
Brandy Walters | 309-683-6980 | Email : office@greatriverspby.org
Office hours: Monday and Wednesday, 9:00am - 2:00pm. Please leave her a message, and she will return your call.
Bookkeeper
Sabrina McGrath | 309-683-6981 | Email: smcgrath@greatriverspby.org
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00am - 3:00pm
Lead Presbyter
Ann Schwartz | 309-683-6983 | Email: aschwartz@greatriverspby.org
Office hours: Sunday through Thursday, 8:30am - 4:30pm; some evenings. Friday is her sabbath.
Stated Clerk
Elissa Bailey | 309-371-2511 | Email: pastorebailey@gmail.com
Office hours: Monday through Thursday, 7:30am - 3:00pm. If you have an emergency, please call or text me
at 309-371-2511.
CRE Coordinator
Cheyanna Losey | 309-299-4790 | Email: cheyannalosey@gmail.com
| | |
Get Connected!
Be sure to encourage your congregations, sessions, and even your church newsletter editorial staff and volunteers to sign up for our presbytery newsletter and follow our Facebook page so you don't miss out on
what is going on in our community of churches!
Be sure to Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to PGR’s YouTube channel to get notifications of our new videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7CXkkAsjR9Owi7gkXPtn8w. Share your congregation’s videos with us
so we can let others know about your mission and ministry. If you have questions, need help, or want to share
a video contact Cheyanna Losey, cheyannalosey@gmail.com or 309- 299-4790.
| | https://www.greatriverspby.org/ |   | |   | | | |
